Have you ever woken up to realize that your housing needs have changed? Perhaps
you are being relocated in your job, thinking of starting a family, or wanting
to downsize and prepare for retirement. Whatever the circumstance, you are
now faced with the fact that in order to progress in your plans, you must first
sell your house. I want to help you sell your home quickly
and successfully. To help you achieve this we have divised the following list
of selling tips.
House vs. Home
The first step in selling your
home is to stop considering it your "home." Instead,
refer to it as a house. A home is where you read, and sleep, and raise your
children. A house is an architectural structure that has tangible
market value that reaches
beyond the warm memories you have created there. The first step in selling
your "house" is
to de-personalize it. Take your family pictures off the walls, box up your
knick-knacks, and remove mail and paper piles from view. You want the viewer
to see your house
as their prospective home, not yours.
Curb Appeal
When prospective buyers pull in the driveway with a realtor what is the first
thing they see? If the answer is a broken down car in the yard, you may need
to do some reorganizing. Curb appeal is the factor that either makes the buyer
anxious to see the interior of the house or apprehensive to step out of the
car. There are several actions you can take to bump up your house's curb appeal.
Mow your lawn, pull weed, and trim the hedges.
If your house has siding, powerwash it to make it look vibrant and fresh.
If your house faces north you probably have mold growing on your roof. Hire
someone to clean the mold to give your house a cleaner appearance.
Make your front porch more inviting by adding fresh flowers.Make your house
SELLABLE
Clear the Clutter
Think about the first time you saw the house you currently want to sell. What
condition was it in? Most likely it sparkled. To get your house as clean and
open as possible start with clearing out the clutter. Possible buyers look
for the amount of closet and cabinet space there is in the house. If your closets
are crammed full of out-of-season clothing and bulky luggage you are giving
the impression that this house can't handle the amount of stuff an average
family possesses. Don't forget areas like the garage and laundry room. Have
that yard sale you have been thinking about or donate unwanted furniture, clothing,
and appliances to a local charity. In the end everyone will benefit.
Smelling
like a Rose
Once a buyer walks through your front door the first impression is taken from
the visual appearance of the room. The second impression is taken by the smell
of the room. A light aromatic fragrance can serve as a subliminal plus in the
mind of the buyer. For those of you with indoor pets, make sure you clean out
the kitty litter daily and don't forget, a carpet deodorizer works wonders
in a room. Finish last year's projects
The sink drips, the floors squeak, and the doorbell hasn't exactly chimed the
way it did back in '92. This would be the time to address all the minor issues
of home repair. Repairing minor problems in the house before you list it can
result in you getting thousands more at closing.
Determine A Price
The worst move you can make when selling your house is to set the selling
price too high. If a house is priced too high agents may not be willing to
spend their time introducing prospective buyers to it. Before deciding on a
listing price find out how comparable homes currently on the market are selling
for. Keep in mind that circumstances such as location and county taxes should
be taken into consideration. Be realistic, just because you may have added
$2,000 in light fixtures doesn't necessarily mean that you can add that cost
into the price of the house. Even if you reduce the price of your house months
after you set an ambitious price, it will lose value in the eyes of the buyer.
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